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Written by Norman Cramp, Director of the Darwin Military Museum.

During WW2, over 100,000 military personnel were stationed in the NT. Life was pretty tough for them, particularly when the enemy were dropping bombs on them, and recreational activities were few and often far between.

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Written by Norman Cramp, Director of Darwin Military Museum.

​I'm pleased to introduce you to ‘Private Havachatt’ (SERN 6723, 9th Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force), who arrived at the Darwin Military Museum recently after returning from the Western Front. His task there was to deliver water to his mates serving on the front lines and to do this he dragged the water tank, alongside which he stands, from the rear echelons.

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Written by Norman Cramp, Director of the Darwin Military Museum.

It might surprise you to know that over severty-six years after the intital ‘event’ many Australians remain blissfully unaware that Darwin was the target of seventy-seven Japanese air raids over a period of twenty-one months. Darwin was basically undefended when the first attacking Japanese aircraft appeared in the skies above the township on 19th February 1942, although those service personnel who were in the town or on the ships in the harbour gave a good account of themselves.